Superior quality bivoltine silk production target has not been achieved by Central Government for the fiscal year 2005-06.
India's silk demand is 26,000 tons per year and against this the country produces 16,000 tons of raw silk and imports around 10,000 tons silk from China to cover shortfall.
Central Silk Board has been working with Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh states for the promotion and development of biloltine silk.
This project had targeted 1,200 tons of bivoltine production in last fiscal as in the third phase from 2002 to 2007.
But, Textile Ministry sources said that bivoltine silk production touched only 800 tons as compared to 893 tons during 2004-05, a 11 percent drop.